Precious Innocence
by Snaperocks
Summary: Harry was framed and sent to Azkaban where he died a few months later. Voldemort confesses to Harry’s innocence and returns the body. But Harry has always been special and survived when no one else could. Will something he has always longed for bring him.
1. The Truth About Innocence

**Precious Innocence**

Harry was framed and sent to Azkaban where he died a few months later. Voldemort confesses to Harry's innocence and returns the body. But Harry has always been special and survived when no one else could. Will something he has always longed for bring him back?

I did not write the actual trial scene. They are depressing enough.

He was arrested during fourth year and the Triwizard Tournament did not happen.

****

**Chapter 1: The Truth About Innocence**

It was twilight and Death Eaters had broken through the wards of Hogwarts. Members of the Order, the DA, and various other sixth and seventh years were standing in front of them, intending to defend their school with their lives. All at once, the Death Eaters parted and Voldemort made his 'dramatic' entrance to the front of his army. He stood there for a moment, smirking, before he spoke.

"My, my, my, Dumbledore. Where is your precious hero? He is usually right beside you." He mocked.

"You know exactly what happened to that little traitor, Tom. He met the same fate as the rest of your Death Eaters will." Dumbledore thundered. He did not like being reminded of Harry Potter. He betrayed them all by killing Ginny Weasley. At the trial the brat had the nerve to shout that he was innocent after all the proof they had. That alone made him want to hit him.

Voldemort laughed.

"Yes, I do know what happened to him, but you call him a traitor? No, no Dumbledore. Potter never betrayed you. Amazing what a bit of Polyjuice Potion can achieve, isn't it?"

Dumbledore felt his blood chill at that statement.

"What are you saying Tom?" He asked, surprised at how steady his voice remained.

"Potter didn't kill the Weasley girl. In fact, he was, shall we say, asleep at the time dear Bellatrix disposed of her. I couldn't have him interfering in my plans again, now could I?"

"No." Albus whispered in horror.

"The child trusted you with his life and would have died for any of you. He never gave you a reason not to trust him and you all failed him. All that it took was a tiny bit of Polyjuice and a well placed sleeping spell to frame him and you all fell for it. He woke up to find that his only friends and family betrayed him and left him to suffer until he was dead."

Everyone was staring in horror at Voldemort, unable to comprehend that the child, who's life had been destroyed and had been dead for two years, was even more innocent than any of them will ever be.

"Poor, sweet, precious, _innocent _little Harry was sent to Azkaban for supposedly killing one of his own family and was left to face his worst fears over and over again. Did you know that he has no idea how to cast any of the Unforgivable Curses. He screamed louder than any of them. He didn't have his brother to comfort him after the dementors left or he woke up _screaming _from nightmares and visions. No one was there to tell him that it wasn't real and that he was safe with his family."

Voldemort paused in his mockery to look over the faces of the devastated crowd before him. His gaze settled on Ron, who was sobbing quietly with guilt.

"Do you feel that you have avenged your sister now Ronald Weasley? She never needed you. She could look after herself. She put up a good fight, but she shouldn't have been wandering outside after dark. Yet you _abandoned_ your _baby brother_. He was the youngest in your year wasn't he? He was everyone's baby and he was smaller than all of the first years. I don't think I've ever seen a fourteen year old that was that small."

He paused to observe the crying redhead thoughtfully.

"He was _crying_ and _screaming_ for you. The mudblood too."

He smirked and looked at Hermione, who was crying beside Ron.

"His death was _horribly_ drawn out. He might have survived longer than a few months but he was sick and barely got any food or water. He died of a fever and his body was thrown into the sea. It took a while for my Death Eaters to find but we managed."

More sobbing started when the light supporters learned that Harry's tiny, fragile body had been carelessly thrown into the sea. Who knew what kind of condition it would be in.

"Anyway Dumbledore, we thought you might want this back."

A Death Eater from the crowd moved forward and held out a small bundle in his arms. Voldemort took it from the Death Eater and turned back to Dumbledore, glee and satisfaction covering his snake face. He walked forward and gently put the bundle on the ground at Dumbledore's feet and uncovered Harry Potter's lifeless body.

"I must offer my congratulations, Dumbledore," he sneered, "You have done what I have failed to do. His blood is on your hands."

Voldemort let out a high, mirthless, chilling laugh and disapparated with his Death Eaters in tow.

Dumbledore stumbled forward and dropped to his knees next to the tiny body. He didn't look up when Ron ran and albeit fell sobbing over his baby brother's body. He couldn't. He was too busy brushing Harry's ebony hair from his forehead as though he were a precious antique china doll. The headmaster's tears joined Ron's and they both fell onto Harry's face.

Suddenly, Harry's previously lifeless body jolted and he began to choke, gasp, and cry.

"HARRY!" Ron yelled desperately.

Albus waved his wand in panic to heal Harry's water-damaged lungs and though he had stopped choking, he continued to cry and gasp for air weakly. Ron cradled the little boy in his arms and whispered comforting words in his ear. Harry soon gained enough of his strength to cling to Ron's robes and sob into them.

Dumbledore motioned for everyone to go inside and turned back to the crying child. Ron was unable to move anywhere as he was bordering on hysteria, so Dumbledore put a mild sleeping spell on him and gently pulled Harry into his arms.

At first Harry wailed loudly at being pulled away from the only comfort he had until the Headmaster wrapped his body in a fleece blanket that was charmed to give off heat, and rocked him while whispering reassurances to him. Dumbledore stood up carefully and levitated Ron's sleeping form in front him as he headed back towards the castle's hospital wing with the tiny crying child in his arms.


	2. A Child's Lullaby

**Chapter 2: A Child's Lullaby **

Dumbledore ran all the way to the Hospital Wing. He got many strange looks from his students when they saw their headmaster running through the halls levitating Ron Weasley and carrying a crying child that looked no older than 4 or 5. By the time he got there Hermione, Snape, and Remus had already forewarned Madam Pomfrey and were huddled in a corner drinking Butterbeer that was laced with calming draft.

They looked up when he entered and immediately prepared two of the beds, one of which Albus set Ron on so he could support Harry better. Some of them were still in shock that Harry had literally returned to life but as long as he was alive they didn't care how it happened.

Dumbledore was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to coax Harry into letting go of him and to stop crying.

"Shhh, Harry, your safe now, it's okay. Come on little one, stop crying, no ones going to leave you. I'll be right here, it's okay, shhh."

Harry's crying soon turned into soft whimpers and sniffs. Albus gently placed the little boy on the hospital bed and began to clean his face using a soft cloth and a basin of warm water that he conjured. Harry's eyes were red and puffy which stood out horribly against his milky white skin and long, thick, black lashes. Not to mention his hair was making him look even paler.

Madam Pomfrey came over with some potions and ran a diagnostic test on him. He was severely malnourished, his lungs were still slightly damaged and he was sick with child's dragon pox which was accompanied with a high fever.

She stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before running a special diagnostic on him and found that he had actually permeant de-aged himself to a 6, nearly 7 year old before he 'died'. Combine that with the fact that he had been 'dead' for two years, he was now physically eleven years younger than Ron and Hermione.

"But how is that possible Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked.

The matron looked at Harry sadly and sighed.

"It happens when someone suffers severe trauma and stress and their magic has no where to go. Harry's magic built up too much for his body to support naturally, it had to go somewhere and it permeant de-aged his body. He will have the mannerisms and magical skills of a six year old."

"Does he still-" Hermione stopped. She couldn't bear the idea that Harry might not even remember anything.

"Remember? Yes, he will. Unless he has caught amnesia as well."

Everyone turned to Harry. He was starting to fall asleep form the gentleness of Dumbledore's cleaning. They watched as he conjured a set of blue flannel children's pajamas with yellow lemon drops all over them. He set them aside and gently began to remove Harry's dirty and destroyed cloths. He casted several specialty scrogify spells on him that left him feeling and smelling like he had just had a warm bath. His hair was even damp and tousled and giving off the scent of lilies and aloe. The headmaster then dressed Harry in the pajamas and carefully tucked him into the bed. He kissed the little boy's forehead and applied another heating charm to his pajamas and blankets.

The nurse smiled sadly at the sight. She new that this was going to be hard on everyone, but right now she had a patient to attend to. She picked up an organ restorative, nutrition, and pepper-up potion and charmed each one into Harry's stomach. She also gave Ron a calming draft to help when he woke up and began shooing everyone out to spread the news of Harry's innocence to the public. She turned to Albus to do the same but she relented when she saw the defeated look in his eyes as he ran his fingers through the child's hair. She didn't have the heart to send him out so she set up a bed on the other side of Harry's and made him take a calming draft and get some rest.

It was around midnight when Harry started to stir and cry out in distress. The noise woke the headmaster who was over to Harry's bed in a flash.

"Harry, child, it's just a nightmare. Wake up now, you're alright. It's not real, come on little one."

Harry slowly opened his eyes and stared at the headmaster in confusion.

"Your here. I didn't think anyone would be around." He whispered weakly. Those words broke Albus' heart. He had to fight to keep the tears out of his eyes.

"Yes, Harry, I'm here. I'm so sorry, child. For everything."

Harry shivered and Dumbledore placed another fleece blanket around him as well as a second quilt.

"Try to sleep Harry. No ones going to hurt you anymore, you're safe now."

"I'm scared" he whimpered

"Shhh, child. There's nothing to be frightened of."

Dumbledore laid down beside Harry and the little boy snuggled into his chest. Albus rubbed his back soothingly and began singing one of the lullabies that Lilly used to sing to Harry when he was little.

_"Sleep O babe, for the red bee hums the silent twilight's fall,_

_Aoibheall from the grey rock comes, to wrap the world in thrall._

_A leanbhan O, my child, my joy, my love my heart's desire,_

_The crickets sing you lullaby, beside the dying fire._

_Dusk is drawn and the Green Man's thorn is wreathed in rings of fog,_

_Siabhra sails his boat till morn, upon the Starry Bog._

_A leanbhan O, the paly moon hath brimmed her cusp in dew,_

_And weeps to hear the sad sleep-tune, I sing O love to you._

_Faintly sweet doth the chapel bell, ring o'er the valley dim,_

_Tearmann's peasant voices swell, in fragrant evening hymn._

_A leanbhan O, the low bell rings, my little lamb to rest,_

_And angel- dreams till morning sings, its music in your breast."_

Dumbledore continued to hum the song long after Harry had fallen asleep. He listened to the child's deep steady breathing and eventually allowed it to lull him to sleep as well.

*** The Gartan Mother's Lullaby was originally published by Herbert Hughes and Joseph Campbell in 1904. The lyrics are from the website of the Celtic Arts Center Choir.***

Pronounciation & Meaning:

Aoibheall - (EE-val) Meaning: the name of the queen of the northern fairies.

leanbhan - (LYAN-van) Meaning: little child, baby --- alternative word "leanbh (LYAN-uv)" could be substituted

Siabhra - (SHEE-vrah) Meaning: A prankster class of trooping fairies (also spelled síbhra, siobhra or siofra)

Tearmann - (CHAR-uh-muhn) Meaning: sancutuary, refuge, or church land... and name of village near Lough Gartan.


	3. Remembrance

**Chapter 3: Remembrance**

Harry woke up feeling better than he had in months. He felt warm and safe but was really hungry. He opened his eyes to see that Dumbledore was still holding him. He tried to remember how he got here and it all ended up hitting him at once. Feeling real sick and feverish, crying in misery for hours and finally falling asleep in his cell. Waking up on the cold ground, unable to breathe and feeling terrible. Being held by someone and gripping on to their robes when he realized that someone was Ron. Ron crying over him and rocking him until Dumbledore pulled him away. Being cradled in his arms as he was brought to the hospital wing.

He didn't know what happened to make them suddenly care again, just like he didn't know why they left him in Azkaban in the first place. Did they finally realize that he was innocent? He didn't really blame them for thinking he was, there was more than enough evidence. One of the death eaters had even used polyjuice and posed as a student and supplied a false memory of the event. He was still upset that they didn't give him the benefit of doubt but it wasn't something to spend years of anger over. He was really thankful for Sirius and Moony. They didn't believe he killed Ginny, even with all the evidence, he had heard them yelling angrily at the guards on the other side of the court room door. He was hurt that Ron hadn't believed him when he said he was innocent but once he was in Azkaban all he wanted was for Ron to be there to comfort him like ha had always done. What he didn't understand was the way Dumbledore fretted over him and comforted him after one of his nightmares. At the trial he had looked murderous, his eyes full of anger and power.

Sitting up slowly so as not to wake the Headmaster Harry looked around and saw Ron asleep on the bed to his left and another unmade one to his right. He guessed that was where Dumbledore had been sleeping he had woken up to Harry's cries. Harry was brought out of his thoughts by someone saying his name.

"Harry?"

He turned towards the voice and saw that Ron was sitting up and staring at him with wide desperate eyes.

"Ron, what's going on?" Harry asked quietly.

Ron was already out of his bed and half-way over to Harry before he had finished speaking. He sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Harry tightly, letting all of his emotions into it. He stroked the little boy's now clean hair and kissed the top of his head protectively.

"What is the last thing you remember Harry?" he asked gently.

"All I remember is falling asleep in my cell after throwing up a couple of times. I remember that I felt really bad and it was very cold. I kept on hearing screaming in my head. When I woke up I was on the grass outside. I couldn't breathe properly and I felt worse than I did earlier. It was so scary"

Harry buried his face into Ron's stomach and he felt the arms around him tighten and Ron began to rub his back soothingly.

"I think I remember someone talking to me and holding me but I wasn't paying attention. Someone carried me inside and gave me something so I didn't feel so bad. I woke Professor Dumbledore up by accident and he stayed with me and sung to me until I fell asleep again.

Ron smiled sadly and felt the little boy's forehead. He was still burning up.

"Do you still feel sick Harry?"

Harry nodded weakly and let out a small whimper of discomfort as the potions he had been given began to wear off. He shivered from the fever and cuddled closer to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, what are you doing?"

Ron turned to see the matron bustling over towards them with more potions.

"Just talking with Harry, Madam Pomfrey. He is still burning up."

"I expected as much. He has a bad case of child's dragon pox. It's not as bad as it was but there is quite a bit of internal damage from the fever that killed him. That will have to be fixed as soon as possible and he will need all of the fever reducers we can safely give him. He is seriously malnourished and dehydrated. The only reason he is not crying in pain is because the potions have only just started to wear off. It will get much worse before it gets better and he is so young so I can't safely give him all the potions he needs at once."

"Yeah, I heard that he de-aged himself or something like that, how old is he? His memories seem fine."

Ron said as he lifted Harry on to his lap and wrapped one of the blue fleece blankets around him.

"He is six and will turn seven on his normal birthday, which is about two months, though considering how small he was before he was de-aged and what the malnutrition had done to his growth he could easily pass for a 3 or 4 year old. Maybe 5 if you really wanted to," the matron sighed, "once he is better we will have to find him a permeant guardian and he will have to re-start school again in four years, maybe Albus will arrange to have him home schooled."

Madam Pomfrey handed him the vials of children's strength potions to give to Harry. Ron gently attempted to coax Harry into taking the potions by putting the tip of the vial to his lips. He was defiantly starting to see a toddler's attitude in him, especially when it came to taking medicine of any sort. He just turned his head and let out a small wail of protest until Ron promised him repeatedly that it would make him feel better. Ron suddenly thought of something that made his blood chill.

"But who would take care of him? He is not going back to the Dursleys!" Ron declared heatedly and pulled the small child to him protectively.

"I was hoping we could discuss that particular issue over lunch, Mr. Weasley. I'm sure Harry is hungry and he will need to eat something more than nutrition potions and medicine. I would discuss it over breakfast but we will have to wait for Messers. Black and Lupin as well as Miss. Granger and several other members of our staff."


End file.
